DHAKA: A wave of protests has swept through Bangladesh as news of the death of Delwar Hossain Sayedee, a prominent leader of the opposition party Jamaat-e-Islami, spread across the country. Sayedee, who was also the vice president of Jamaat-e-Islami, passed away at the age of 83 due to a heart attack while in jail. His death has ignited a surge of anti-government sentiment, with demonstrators taking to the streets to voice their grievances.
Thousands of angered protestors marched across various cities, denouncing the government and shouting anti-government slogans. Sayedee’s demise has rekindled memories of a contentious period in Bangladesh’s history, marked by his conviction by a controversial war crimes court over a decade ago. This conviction had sparked the deadliest bout of political violence the nation has witnessed.
Following the news of Sayedee’s death, a crowd of mourners and supporters gathered outside the hospital, where he had been receiving treatment. Chants of “Allah-o-Akbar” (God is greatest) echoed through the air as emotions ran high. Law enforcement personnel were deployed in significant numbers to manage the gathering.
Supporters of Sayedee voiced their determination not to let his death go in vain, attributing his passing to inadequate medical treatment during his imprisonment. Many demonstrators placed blame on the government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, as the country braces for crucial general elections scheduled for January.
Jamaat-e-Islamic Blames Govt for Inadequate Health Facilities
According to hospital authorities, Sayedee had been admitted to a prison hospital after suffering a heart attack while imprisoned in Kashimpur Prison near Dhaka. Despite medical intervention, he succumbed to another heart attack, leading to his death.
Jamaat-e-Islami announced Sayedee’s death on its Facebook page, asserting that authorities had gradually turned him into a martyr due to inadequate medical care. The prominent opposition leader had been convicted in 2013 by a war-crimes tribunal on multiple charges, including murder, rape, and persecution of Hindus. His conviction sparked widespread protests and clashes, resulting in more than 100 deaths.
In 2014, Bangladesh’s Supreme Court decreed that Sayedee would spend “the rest of his natural life” in prison for his crimes.
Delwar Hossain Sayedee had risen to prominence in the 1980s through his preaching in prominent mosques across the Muslim-majority nation. His charismatic sermons had garnered immense popularity, and he played a pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of Jamaat-e-Islami’s influence in Bangladeshi politics.
Sayedee’s passing has reignited political tensions and prompted public expression of grievances, underscoring the complex dynamics at play in Bangladesh’s socio-political landscape.
